The Dance
by itwasinevitable94
Summary: Tony and Ziva tag to Berlin. Starts with them waking up in the morning and ends with them dancing in each others arms, making an unspoken promise to each other.


**The Dance**

I'm not expecting the real dancing scene to be anything like this necessarily, but this scenario just kept running through my mind, and I wanted to write it out and see what I could come up with. This kind of goes along as a part two to my other story Night Talk, but it could be read as a stand-alone. Not sure exactly how this turned out, but I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

The following morning Tony was surprised to find he was the first one awake. Ziva lay tucked within his embrace. His arm draped over her waist, and she held his hand tightly against her chest. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of her ribcage as she remained in peaceful sleep, no nightmares jarring her awake this night. The exceptionally close proximity had brought Tony's head onto her pillow, his face buried in her wild curls. The position was eerily similar to the morning in Paris nearly three years ago when they awoke in each other's arms, yet at that time the situation had put them both in an awkward position, and they had skirted around each other for days, not daring to acknowledge the shared intimate moment. Now, the gesture was far from uncomfortable. They were in a different place with their relationship. Time had begun to heal their trust, and they were beginning to move forward.

Reluctantly, Tony removed his arm from around her and moved to his own side of the bed, throwing his feet over the edge and onto the carpeted floor. His soft movements were enough to cause Ziva to begin to stir as she soon rolled over to glace at her partner, now standing beside the bed.

"Sleep well?" He asked, his voice sounding groggy from sleep.

"Uh-huh," she replied, nodding her head and stretching her arms toward the headboard, elongating her body and causing her t-shirt to ride up, exposing her bare midriff.

Tony smiled to see her looking at such peace and comfort, her crazy mane of hair scattered across the pillow, her casual t-shirt bunched around her waist, her relaxed and fresh features. She was beautiful.

"Better get a move on! We've got a big day ahead of ourselves," he called over his shoulder while making his way toward the bathroom to shower.

Ziva smiled contentedly to herself as she rolled onto her stomach and buried her face into the pillow, not quite ready to face the day just yet. She reveled in one of her first nightmare free nights in weeks, feeling she could get used to the idea of waking up in her partner's arms more often.

...

Ziva had received intel from one of her sources that a recent contact of Bodnar's was a frequent patron at a local, upscale bar down the street from their hotel. Their plan was to canvas the area and place bugs, with hopes of catching word as to where Bodnar was headed next.

Well over an hour ago Ziva had entered the bathroom to get ready for the evening, and Tony had spent the past forty minutes flipping channels after quickly changing into a classy grey suit and tie. He had hoped the channel surfing would calm his nerves, yet he only found himself swimming in frustration at the rapid, incomprehensible German dialogue flashing across the screen. Amid his irritation, he turned off the power and approached the bathroom door, placing a gentle knock on the wooden frame. "You about done in there?" he questioned, eager to get on with their mission.

"Yes, Tony. I will be out in one minute," Ziva retorted with a hint of irritability in her voice as this was now the fifth time in the past ten minutes he had asked if she was almost done.

Tony sighed and went back to his perch on the couch to wait for his Israeli ninja to finally make her grand entrance.

When Ziva emerged from the bathroom, Tony's breath caught. She wore a knee length, black satin dress with a plunging neckline and ethereal sleeves with slits up the sides, exposing her well-toned, olive-colored skin. Her neck was adorned with a large necklace and her hair fell loosely around her shoulders. He was about to repeat his words, 'You look… nice,' as he had once told her many months ago, yet tonight he opted to go with the truth. "You look beautiful, Ziva."

A blush swept across her cheeks, and she gave him a soft smile and a quiet "Thank you," before grabbing her bag and making her way toward the hotel door with her partner trailing behind.

...

They swept the bar and placed their bugs soon upon their arrival and decided that since they were already out, they might as well enjoy the evening before they had to crack down on the job at hand. The partners sat in comfortable silence at the bar, Tony sipping a glass of single malt scotch, while Ziva held a martini.

She glanced at the couples swaying across the dance floor, and her mind began to wander back nearly twenty years. It had been late when he had finally returned from his latest work obligation, and she had waited up for him. The city lights shone through the sheer window curtain while she sat on the edge of the bed. "Dance with me, Abba?" she had asked him. He had given her a tender smile and opened his arms to her. She stood in her father's embrace, placing her head against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. Her heart swelled with emotions of happiness and sorrow as she recalled one of the fonder memories she had of her father.

"Will you dance with me, Tony?"

His head darted up from his drink upon hearing this unexpected request, attempting to shield his surprise, and saw a flicker of great vulnerability in her eyes. She looked almost hesitant and nervous, as though she thought he might decline her invitation. She dropped her gaze, and that barely noticeable blush spread across her cheeks for the second time that evening as the pause between her question and his response was drawn out between the two weary partners.

After a moment, Tony shook his surprise, and his signature grin stretched across his face, the corners of his eyes crinkling with delight, that certain expression she liked to think he reserved just for her.

Ziva brought her stare back up to his in time to see his radiating smile, and the corners of her mouth turned slightly upward in a mirrored expression, a flicker of hope flashing across liquid brown orbs.

"Sure," Tony finally replied, his eyes boring deeply into hers as he set his drink on the counter, slid from the bar stool and extended his hand toward her, hoping she wouldn't notice the slight tremble of apprehension in his fingers. Ziva followed with harmonizing actions and placed her palm into his.

He tightened his grip on her hand and led her past a crowd of couples and into an open clearing on the dance floor. Turning to face her, Tony dropped her palm and tentatively placed his hold onto the small of her back, while reaching for her right hand with his left, interlocking their fingers together.

Ziva stepped into his touch and wrapped her hand around his upper arm, feeling a soothing peace in his warm embrace.

The partners held a gentle sway as the soft music played in the background. Tony's other hand soon came to wrap around her lower back as well, drawing her even closer to his torso, while Ziva brought her arms around his neck.

"I'll always be here for you, you know that, right?" Tony leaned down to whisper, his breath settling just above her ear. Ziva shivered slightly at the warmth that flooded across her skin while Tony pulled back too soon for her liking, bringing his forehead to rest against hers. They were so close to one another, their noses brushing against each other, their eyes inches apart.

Ziva's eyes began to swim with unshed tears, and she began to rapidly blink, hoping to squelch the impending waterworks. She opted to keep them closed, knowing she would be unable to keep the tears from spilling over her lids.

"Yes, I know," Ziva breathed out, a small quiver in her voice barely audible as she leaned further into his arms.

A lone tear escaped and began its descent down her cheek, and Tony brought his hand from around her back and ran his thumb across her skin, brushing aside the tear, allowing his hand to come to a rest, cupping her face in his large palm for a momentary second.

Ziva's eyes fluttered open at the touch, and she caught his hand in hers as he began to drop it from her cheek. She intertwined their fingers and twisted their hands to come to rest between their tightly pressed bodies. Both agents could feel the rapid beating of their partner's heart against the backside of their hand. Their gazes locked together, and Tony forced himself to restrain his intense desire to bend down and brush his lips across his partner's, instead opting to graze them against her temple, a much less intimate, yet similarly tender gesture. As his lips skimmed across her skin, Ziva's lids briefly shut yet again. The closeness and affection the pair displayed could have easily fooled the ignorant observer into mistaking the partners for a deeply in love married couple, and in reality, they would only be incorrect about one of those assumptions.

The melody of the song began to die away, and the dance floor began to clear. The partners pulled apart from each other with great reluctance, neither wanting to leave the arms of the other and bring an end to their intimate moment.

"Thank you, Tony," Ziva uttered quietly, keeping her hold on his hand and maintaining their close proximity. Her eyes shone brightly in the dim lighting of the bar, and Tony wasn't sure if her gratitude was for the acceptance of her dance, or for the knowledge that he would always be there for her. He suspected it probably extended to both.

She held his gaze and brought her other hand up to rest on his lightly stubbled face. She raised herself onto her toes and slowly began to lean toward her partner, her eyes flickering to his mouth before diverting to settle her lips upon his cheek, placing a feather-light kiss upon his five o'clock shadow. The act was fleeting as she soon pulled back to again lock her eyes with his. She hoped he saw the promise in her eyes, the promise for a future… with her… together… eventually… in time. The patch of skin where her lips had been pressed tingled slightly amid the absence of her warmth, yet that warmth was now reflected in her eyes as he did in fact grasp hold of that promise her gaze persuaded him to latch on to.

"Whether you like it or not, you're kinda stuck with me," he said with a smile in his voice as that special for-Ziva-only grin spread across his face yet again.

And she didn't mind that one bit.


End file.
